Water-key for wind instruments.



No. 799,707. PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905. W. F. BOAST.

WATER KEY FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WATER-KEY FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed May 2,1905. Serial No. 258M190.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FRnDRIoK BOAST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colby, in the county of Thomas and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVater-Keys for l/Vind Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in water-keys for horns such as the cornet, trombone, and like musical instruments of the wind typeprovided with crooks in which the humidity of the breath when condensed collects and requires to be drawn off; and it consists, essentially, of a member or plate, preferably chambered, having an opening therein and a second member or plate cooperating therewith and preferably of corresponding shape and having an opening and moving in substantially the same plane as the firstmentioned plate.

The invention primarily has for its object to produce a device of this character which will be much simpler and more durable in construction than those commonly in use and which will provide a positive closure for the water-opening while the instrument is being played upon.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cornet, showing my improved form of water-valve attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the valve. Fig. 8 is a top plan view showing the valve as closed in full lines and as open in dotted lines. Fig. i is a longitudinal sectional view on the line :0 w of Fig. 8.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In wind instruments it is a well-known fact that the moisture of the breath condenses and accumulates in the tubes, thereby causing adeterioration of the tone, and therefore it is customary to provide a valve for the extraction of this accumulated moisture. The valve as ordinarily constructed comprises, essentially, an opening in the tube and a levershaped arm attached by a spring placed under one end and having a piece of cork at the other end to close said opening. The great defect in this form resides in the fact that should the spring become weak or the cork part lose its shape or become lost, as is frequently the case, the pressure from the inside of the instrument when same is being blown is frequently sufficient to slightly open the valve, with the result that there is a decided deterioration in the tone of the instrument.

The numeral 1 designates a chamber which has an opening 2 in the outer side thereof and has a flange 3 extending around its lower edge by means of which it can readily be attached to a musical instrument. Fitting over this chamber 1 is a cap 4, which has a tubular handle 5 and an opening 6 corresponding to the opening 2. This cap 4: is pivotally mounted upon said chamber 1 by means of a screw 7 and has a slot 8 in its side which cooperates with a stud 9 on the side of the chamber to prevent said cap from being displaced and also to admit its motion. A spring 10, fastened at one end of the tubular handle 5 and housed therein, is tapered in diameter at its other end and fastened to the stud 9 to normally hold the cap 4 in such a position as to close the valve. This spring 10 may be fastened to the stud 9 in any suitable manner, but is preferably connected thereto by passing its end through an opening therein and then bending it back and twisting it upon itself. It will be noticed that the opening in the handle 5 increases in diameter toward the chamber 1, so that the spring 10 has ample clearance for effective operation. Particular attention is called to the fact that the stud 9 performs a triple function in that it both limits the pivotal motion of the cap 4 and prevents same from being removed and also serves as a means for fastening the spring 10.

As has been before stated, the cap 4 is normally held by the spring so that the valveopenings do not register. In order to open the valve, it is simply necessary to push the handle 5 around until its swinging motion is stopped by the stud 9, the component parts being so arranged that at this point the two val ve-openings will register. l/Vhen the handle is released, the spring will automatically cause the cap to swing around and move the two openings apart, thereby closing the valve. The valve is intended to be permanently constructed so as to turn either to the right or to the left, as the requirements of the instrument may demand. It will be noticed that there is no cork or similar perishable material employed in the construction of this valve. Another essential feature of the invention resides in the fact that the top of the cap moves in approximately the same plane IIO as the top of the chamber. In this construction it will be obvious that the pressure on the inside of the instrument can have no tendency'to open the valve.

From the foregoing description it Will be readily understood that I have invented a Water-valve for Wind instruments Which has obvious advantages over those now in use.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is 1. A Water-valve for horns and like Wind instruments comprising a member having an outlet, and a cooperating member for controlling the outlet, having a tubular stem and a spring for holding the last-mentioned member in normal position, said spring being arranged Within said tubular stem.

2. A Water-valve for horns and like musical instruments comprising a chambered member forming a trap and having a stud projecting from one side thereof and also having an outlet, and acap pivotally mounted upon and having an opening corresponding to the outlet in tlIe chambered member and also having a slot in the side thereof which cooperates With the stud on the chamber.

3. A Water-valve for horns and like musical instruments comprisinga chambered member forming a trap and having a stud projecting from one side thereof and also having an outlet, a cap having a handle, pivotally mounted upon and having an opening corresponding to the outlet in the chambered member and also having a slot in the side thereof Which cooperates With the stud on the chamber, and a spring having one end attached to the stud and the other end attached to the handle on the cap to hold the valve normally in a closed position.

4. A Water-valve for horns and like musical instruments comprising a chambered member forming a trap and having a stud n'ojecting from one side thereof and also having an out let, a cap having a tubular handle pivotally mounted upon and having an opening corre sponding to the outlet in the chambered member and also having a slot in the side thereof Which cooperates With the stud on the chamber, and a spring housed in said tubular handle and attached to the before-mentioned stud to hold the valve normally in a closed position.

In testimony \vhereoflaflix mysignaturc in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM FREDRIGK BOA S'l.

\Vitnesses:

J. B. HAMPTON, GEO. (Jr. HAMILTON. 

